The Grand RedoubtShowing the difference in doctrine between the LPCN and PDSS, the Grand Redoubt is less of a defensive line as a death wall of traps, jammers, sensor grids, and defense platforms from which the PDSS launches it's real defense -- it's massive oversized navies concentrating on applying the huge firepower of the navies against the redlight in transit to destroy redlight assaults and for the periodic crusade launched to destroy a whole star system in redlight space. The sheer number of mines and defense platforms deployed was only possible with the use of time dilation technology from the Taerillians as it would normally take thousands of years to set up a no-weakspot defensive grid in the vastness of space. To facilitate more strong defenses all around and the idea of having no weak sections of the redoubt whole star systems were moved around with massive grids of jump drives and their planets hollowed out for military hardware installations on scales large enough to even peer into some redlight-held planets despite the Psionic interference or to render whole swarms brain-dead and easy targets from psywave siphons.

Interesting! Redlight already has an adaptation to psywave siphons though, in the form of their Silencers which exist to cut off any and all psionic activity. Few of their creatures are especially psionic anyway, except for Runners (which would focus on infiltration anyway and avoid combat and detection at all costs, despite their intense power), Technopaths, and Elizabeth’s Avatar. The Hivemind is more more biological in nature than psionic.

Interesting! Redlight already has an adaptation to psywave siphons though, in the form of their Silencers which exist to cut off any and all psionic activity. Few of their creatures are especially psionic anyway, except for Runners (which would focus on infiltration anyway and avoid combat and detection at all costs, despite their intense power), Technopaths, and Elizabeth’s Avatar. The Hivemind is more more biological in nature than psionic.

Well I figured that the hivemind would, at it's territory itself have lots of psionic interference because of the huge concentration of minds in a small area which would be useful because the hivemind wouldn't need to hide that it has that territory because their opponents already know that -- instead it would be more useful to cover their movements from their enemy's sensor grids so the enemy cannot see the redlight adaptations as they are happening and get huge forewarning on redlight tactical advances.

Well I figured that the hivemind would, at it's territory itself have lots of psionic interference because of the huge concentration of minds in a small area which would be useful because the hivemind wouldn't need to hide that it has that territory because their opponents already know that -- instead it would be more useful to cover their movements from their enemy's sensor grids so the enemy cannot see the redlight adaptations as they are happening and get huge forewarning on redlight tactical advances.

Fair point. Redlight also employs jammers of a more conventional nature, just repurposing captured technology.

Well, after a little over 3 weeks I'm finally back home! Repairs are done, for the most part, and our power was restored by the electric company. Unfortunately, despite all of this, someone ran over the box we use for our phone line (whatever it may be called) and so we don't have wifi except for our phone data, so that's what I'm using right now. Regardless of that, I should be a bit more active and work on the things I've been wanting to for a while.

Prime Minister Barrachina has signed new legislation intended to overhaul Wagondia's national public service broadcaster: Pan-American Public Media. Headquartered in Santa Catalina, PPM employs tens of thousands of people nationwide and is primarily responsible for distributing television, radio, and online news content to Wagain households free of charge. Its high-quality, independent material is considered a hallmark of Wagain culture, and many important public functions (such as coronations, legislative sessions, or major sporting events) are exclusively covered on PPM platforms.

Almost a century after its creation, PPM is now becoming an international phenomenon, with content freely available in most nations worldwide. The Barrachina Administration views Wagain public media as an integral part of the Empire's soft power, projecting a positive, powerful image of Wagain society to a global audience. Armed with a hefty budget and a legion of new staffers, PPM is expected to implement sweeping changes in order to bring their services to the cutting-edge of the global media market.

Pan-American Public Radio (PPR), which already has millions of daily listeners nationwide, will be devoting more energy to its World Service program, which caters to listeners on every continent with a distinctly cosmopolitan range of global news commentary. The PPR World Service will be establishing regional offices in North America (Miami), Europe (Madrid), East Asia (Hong Kong), Western Africa (Dakar), Southern Africa (Johannesburg), and the Middle East (Istanbul). This move, combined with efforts to translate PPR content into dozens of new languages, will open up new markets worldwide, and allow for much smaller, more targeted geographic coverage areas. For example, a fisherman in Tunisia could follow everything from global news coverage to world music to weather forecasts - all broadcasted in his native Arabic from a regional transmission office.

PPM will also receive grants to redesign its online news platform, interfacing with several Wagain and international news conglomerates to deliver high-quality journalism anywhere in the world. Television channels, too, will see increased efforts to produce more diverse, multilingual original content - including movies, documentaries, and tv dramas. PPM producers are seeking to collaborate with leading film studios in several major countries, to create a lasting cultural impact beyond Wagondia's borders.

Prime Minister Barrachina has signed new legislation intended to overhaul Wagondia's national public service broadcaster: Pan-American Public Media. Headquartered in Santa Catalina, PPM employs tens of thousands of people nationwide and is primarily responsible for distributing television, radio, and online news content to Wagain households free of charge. Its high-quality, independent material is considered a hallmark of Wagain culture, and many important public functions (such as coronations, legislative sessions, or major sporting events) are exclusively covered on PPM platforms.

Almost a century after its creation, PPM is now becoming an international phenomenon, with content freely available in most nations worldwide. The Barrachina Administration views Wagain public media as an integral part of the Empire's soft power, projecting a positive, powerful image of Wagain society to a global audience. Armed with a hefty budget and a legion of new staffers, PPM is expected to implement sweeping changes in order to bring their services to the cutting-edge of the global media market.

Pan-American Public Radio (PPR), which already has millions of daily listeners nationwide, will be devoting more energy to its World Service program, which caters to listeners on every continent with a distinctly cosmopolitan range of global news commentary. The PPR World Service will be establishing regional offices in North America (Miami), Europe (Madrid), East Asia (Hong Kong), Western Africa (Dakar), Southern Africa (Johannesburg), and the Middle East (Istanbul). This move, combined with efforts to translate PPR content into dozens of new languages, will open up new markets worldwide, and allow for much smaller, more targeted geographic coverage areas. For example, a fisherman in Tunisia could follow everything from global news coverage to world music to weather forecasts - all broadcasted in his native Arabic from a regional transmission office.

PPM will also receive grants to redesign its online news platform, interfacing with several Wagain and international news conglomerates to deliver high-quality journalism anywhere in the world. Television channels, too, will see increased efforts to produce more diverse, multilingual original content - including movies, documentaries, and tv dramas. PPM producers are seeking to collaborate with leading film studios in several major countries, to create a lasting cultural impact beyond Wagondia's borders.

The Followers Of The Apocalypse, via Francisco D’Anconia (his duel citizenship is handy for this) have made a donation of 5,000 Cybusian Credits, converted to their equivalency in Wagain currency, citing the work of PPM as an integral part of the free, open, easily accessible society they envision, commending the quality of their journalism and their role during Orsonisn conflicts as “The voice of freedom and democracy to many unfortunate souls struggling under tyranny.”

Prime Minister Barrachina has signed new legislation intended to overhaul Wagondia's national public service broadcaster: Pan-American Public Media. Headquartered in Santa Catalina, PPM employs tens of thousands of people nationwide and is primarily responsible for distributing television, radio, and online news content to Wagain households free of charge. Its high-quality, independent material is considered a hallmark of Wagain culture, and many important public functions (such as coronations, legislative sessions, or major sporting events) are exclusively covered on PPM platforms.

Almost a century after its creation, PPM is now becoming an international phenomenon, with content freely available in most nations worldwide. The Barrachina Administration views Wagain public media as an integral part of the Empire's soft power, projecting a positive, powerful image of Wagain society to a global audience. Armed with a hefty budget and a legion of new staffers, PPM is expected to implement sweeping changes in order to bring their services to the cutting-edge of the global media market.

Pan-American Public Radio (PPR), which already has millions of daily listeners nationwide, will be devoting more energy to its World Service program, which caters to listeners on every continent with a distinctly cosmopolitan range of global news commentary. The PPR World Service will be establishing regional offices in North America (Miami), Europe (Madrid), East Asia (Hong Kong), Western Africa (Dakar), Southern Africa (Johannesburg), and the Middle East (Istanbul). This move, combined with efforts to translate PPR content into dozens of new languages, will open up new markets worldwide, and allow for much smaller, more targeted geographic coverage areas. For example, a fisherman in Tunisia could follow everything from global news coverage to world music to weather forecasts - all broadcasted in his native Arabic from a regional transmission office.

PPM will also receive grants to redesign its online news platform, interfacing with several Wagain and international news conglomerates to deliver high-quality journalism anywhere in the world. Television channels, too, will see increased efforts to produce more diverse, multilingual original content - including movies, documentaries, and tv dramas. PPM producers are seeking to collaborate with leading film studios in several major countries, to create a lasting cultural impact beyond Wagondia's borders.

PPM is quite understandably very, very popular in Oceara due to the majority of Ocearan Citizens also being Citizens of Wagondia and many private citizens have celebrated this new effort by The Wagain Legislature to expand PPM's programming by donating to PPM.

The Ocearan Government has instituted a new policy of seizing stocks without reimbursement for companies guilty of habitat destruction through illegal activity -- nationalizing them and kicking out the executives in favor for government-appointed individuals. Those executives furthermore would be required to do community service with organizations seeking to rebuild habitats for displaced wildlife for a duration equal to the duration their company was performing or bankrolling said illegal activity. Foreign businesses that are guilty will have their licenses outright revoked and their Ocearan-territory assets seized and auctioned off by the Government -- tossing them completely out of the Ocearan Economy.

This is in direct response to Ghanan Deforestation from the Cocoa industry, the hope is such heavy punishment will cause executives to immediately change their behavior.

The Arcadian Academy of Sciences:A civilian institution, created by Imperial Decree in the late 800s (Earth Calendar), the Arcadian. Academy of Sciences is an esteemed organization throughout the Empire, its members regarded with respect across the Empire and the LCPN as a whole. It occupies a vast campus in Arcadia, Art Deco, a testament to the ever-improving future brought on by science and technology. The Academy accepts only the best students from across the Empire, yearly class intakes rarely more than a thousand. The Academy teaches many different subjects, ranging from quantum physics to hydroponics, from biology to an ICDC-praised course set on epidemiology of sentient disease (Drakul, Redlight, etc). Beginning in 1741 (Earth Calendar), the Academy has conducted Friday Evening Discourses each week. Originally sparsely attended and consisting of dull lectures, they quickly evolved to become fantastic demonstrations of scientific discoveries, both pure and practical sciences being demonstrated, being smoothly combined with lectures made fairly easy to understand. Even military technology is occasionally demonstrated with Torchwood oversight. The beautiful hall in which the discourses are held has become a popular Friday evening gathering place for members of the nobility, members of high society, and even the Emperor himself. The hall is built in the manner of a theater, with luxurious box seats available for a price, which is used to help fund the efforts of the Academy, though ground floor seats are available free of charge to the public. The Academy’s students have included, but are not limited to:Anatoly Barisov (deputy head of the E-99 division at Torchwood, second only to Nathan Koenig)Anton SokolovEphraim Goodweather (The current Director of the ICDC. Despite studying in his home country of Timmy City, he took courses on Cybusian biology, among other topics, at the Academy upon being recruited by the ICDC)Thaddeus Roth (Eminent psychologist and Torchwood therapist)

Thoughts? Barisov is a new character, hence the Russian-ish name. Trying to think of other characters I could have as graduates. Possibly James Abrasax, the brilliant engineer who leads The Raven Technate.

Ocearan Politicians have quickly drafted the "Protect Felucia Act" and pushed it into the Ocearan Core Council seeking to use the Tripartite Council to guarantee Felucian Independence and to formalize an International Coalition to contain the aggression of the League of Balmorra. The Politicians have been busy seeking support for their bill successfully getting the support of Former Empress Ava and the High Admiral of the Ocearan Space Navy Elyse. With so much support for the measure -- it will most likely at least reach the tripartite.

The Politicians have made good progress in the beginning steps of starting a Media Campaign against Duros Balmorra seeking to duplicate the success of the Media campaigns against Turner prior to the Great African War.

(Occurring in 3050 AD)

The Ocearan media campaign against Duros Balmor has spread into Orsonian space, and has proven to be very effective, striking a chord throughout trillions of Orsonians and causing uncomfortable discussions regarding Orsonian culture, the nature of the Orsonian species and the history of Orson. While many Orsonians were originally enthusiastic about plans for another war with Felucia, hoping to expand the power and prestige of the Empire on the international stage, many are now dialing back their warmongering, and have begun some introspection and have come to the realization of what they are becoming. Also, the rumors of the Ocearans and the Cybusians, two major rivals in the universe, forming an international coalition to challenge Orsonian aggression has caused further introspection, with the Orsonians realizing they are once more at risk of becoming a rogue state and the "evil empire" Orson once was during both Turner's reign and the Triumvirate period. It seems for the first time in centuries, the collective Orsonian species has finally taken a look in the mirror, realizing the constant cycle of war and aggression they are seemingly trapped in.

The Imperial Cabinet and the Electoral College has met in a grand session on Zion, with Maro Koren, the current Prime Minister of Orson, has given a surprising speech in opposition against another war with Felucia, having this to say:

"It has been 1,000 years since the end of Emperor Turner's reign, and 300 years since the end of Triumvirate, and yet we as a collective species have failed to heed the lessons of the past. The conflict with the Felucians is over- that score was settled decades ago. We have no proper casus belli, their Republic has done nothing but become even weaker over the years...this is nothing but a war of blind aggression, to satisfy the ego of a single man. The Cabinet has made far too many exceptions for Governor Duros and his father, and I argue that Balmorra needs to be cut down to size. Something is terribly wrong when both the Ocearans and Cybusians, the great universal rivals, have common cause to oppose our ambitions, and with good reason; we all know the dangers of Orsonian aggression. The time for allowing our egos or passions to supersede sensible politics and international relations must end. This was the great mistake of Turner and so many Emperor's before him...this was the great mistake of the Triumvirate. We cannot continue to blame our 'programming or 'nature for our mistakes, as I'm sure everyone in this room and trillions of Orsonians beyond have long since shed the chains the Cybusians placed on us, thanks to the miracles of genetic engineering. For the first time in our existence, we have the opportunity to choose our own path, lead our own lives...and yet, we are wasting it, still adhering to old traditions and the myths of the greatness of the old Empire. The old Empire was far from great, and while Turner may have been the ultimate 'warrior Emperor', he was also a despot that killed millions of his own people and led the old Empire to ruin."

Prime Minister Koren would call for a vote from both houses of government against war with Felucia and the dissolution of the League of Balmorra. As the vote continues, Governor Duros, in anger at the sudden opposition to his plan for war and greater power in Orson, would lock himself in his office on Balmorra, speaking to no one but his closest advisors. Even his mother, Empress Branda Harren, has failed to reach out to him.

The Orson EmpireCybus1(This is in the Meeting on Arcadia with Charles and everybody)Klein and Alejandro would get sudden shocked looks right before Mobius even opened his mouth to speak up being surprised by the sudden brilliant plan Mobius pieced together "Koenig. Do you have a shield generator that can scale up in strength infinitely depending on the amount of power put into it?"

The Orson EmpireCybus1(This is in the Meeting on Arcadia with Charles and everybody)Klein and Alejandro would get sudden shocked looks right before Mobius even opened his mouth to speak up being surprised by the sudden brilliant plan Mobius pieced together "Koenig. Do you have a shield generator that can scale up in strength infinitely depending on the amount of power put into it?"

“Are you proposing a physical shield to protect our reality? It could work, in theory, but at that incredible scale it would be relatively weak, even given the power scaling.”Sokolov spoke up. “Enchant the shields. It would require...sacrifice...but it would make them stronger.” He said, somewhat cagily.

“Are you proposing a physical shield to protect our reality? It could work, in theory, but at that incredible scale it would be relatively weak, even given the power scaling.”Sokolov spoke up. “Enchant the shields. It would require...sacrifice...but it would make them stronger.” He said, somewhat cagily.

"No, I mean to use the shield to contain a time-based energy feedback loop using a time portal creating a paradox localized in a small area that is simultaneously already infinite energy and building up exponentially to reach an infinity. Energy flows into the portal a few seconds into the past, adds to the energy of the system that again goes through the portal in a few seconds infinitely. The perfect battery for such a massive project... Although I theorize it might cause some timeline splits creating some doomed timelines."

"No, I mean to use the shield to contain a time-based energy feedback loop using a time portal creating a paradox localized in a small area that is simultaneously already infinite energy and building up exponentially to reach an infinity. Energy flows into the portal a few seconds into the past, adds to the energy of the system that again goes through the portal in a few seconds infinitely. The perfect battery for such a massive project... Although I theorize it might cause some timeline splits creating some doomed timelines."

Alex and Koenig looked at each other, thinking the same thing now. Alex said“I could do that, creating the initial paradox, and Koenig can stabilize it using E-99.” Sokolov raised an eyebrow. “Doomed timelines? How fantastic.”

Alex and Koenig looked at each other, thinking the same thing now. Alex said“I could do that, creating the initial paradox, and Koenig can stabilize it using E-99.” Sokolov raised an eyebrow. “Doomed timelines? How fantastic.”

Klein would speak up "Why would Nyarlathotep let us even finish once he pieces everything together? He knows his avatars cannot stop us so what will he do? Fully materialize. That is both the big problem and the solution to the puzzle. All in one place and body he can be trapped without escape options or slain, but on the same coin he has access to the full extent of his powers when we try to subdue him."

"At best, this plan is really just a trap that he is forced to enter to have any chance of stopping us from cutting him out of our reality. So what is our play -- lethal or a prison he cannot escape and how should we close the power gap?"

Klein would speak up "Why would Nyarlathotep let us even finish once he pieces everything together? He knows his avatars cannot stop us so what will he do? Fully materialize. That is both the big problem and the solution to the puzzle. All in one place and body he can be trapped without escape options or slain, but on the same coin he has access to the full extent of his powers when we try to subdue him."

"At best, this plan is really just a trap that he is forced to enter to have any chance of stopping us from cutting him out of our reality. So what is our play -- lethal or a prison he cannot escape and how should we close the power gap?"

Sokolov murmured“If he even can fully materialize in our reality. I am inclined to doubt it. In the event he did so, I imagine the effects on reality would be catastrophic. Imagine the madness that preceded Elizabeth Green’s arrival, and then couple that with widespread outbreaks of homicidal insanity, religious extremism, suicide, murder, and the deaths of countless psionically active individuals who cannot cope with his arrival. Lesser individuals would be simply snuffed out like candles in the wind, their souls ceasing to exist. Likewise, Elizabeth Green does not manifest herself in her entirety, out of fear of death, and possibly a desire to avoid unintended death from her full manifestation, which would similar effects. Even Alexander is not entirely within our reality....” He fell silent, realizing that was something Alex did not want anyone to know, Elizabeth and Alex both looking at him furiously.

Hey y'all, just want to let you know that I will be checking in infrequently, if at all, during the next two weeks. I'm lucky to be part of a team that's attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, so my coming days will pretty much be tech-free. Suffice to say, next time I'm around I'll be *very* glad to have internet connection again :)

Hey y'all, just want to let you know that I will be checking in infrequently, if at all, during the next two weeks. I'm lucky to be part of a team that's attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, so my coming days will pretty much be tech-free. Suffice to say, next time I'm around I'll be *very* glad to have internet connection again :)

Hope your climbing expedition goes well, be sure to pack plenty of water and a first aid kit.

Hey y'all, just want to let you know that I will be checking in infrequently, if at all, during the next two weeks. I'm lucky to be part of a team that's attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, so my coming days will pretty much be tech-free. Suffice to say, next time I'm around I'll be *very* glad to have internet connection again :)

Wow!! Good luck Novo! Hope you have a good climb and return to us safely!

Year: 2030The Ocearan Air Force has begun testing a new multirole long range fighter, The Thunderbolt is expected to be a competent next generation multirole fighter plane designed for the challenges of modern anti-aircraft energy weapons and advanced point defenses. Considering the testing is happening in Ocearan Africa, it appears that the Ocearans didn't seek Timmian or Wagain Assistance with designing this new aircraft.

Cybus1Year: 2132The Ocearan Emperor has ordered for massive military strikes against the Black Dawn, involving huge proportions of the navy and Oceara's intelligence and cyber warfare assets in operations to reveal cells, cripple their communication and coordination, and eradicate them on a grand scale.

The Federal Military has announced a new modernization program for all of its armed branches, with the hopes of being able to compete on the battlefield with the Imperial Military. While the Federalist movement and the wider Unified Front enjoyed great success during the original Federalist Rebellion (also known as the 3rd Orson Civil War), this was only due to the Empire's weakness during the 3rd Mamaran-Orson War and the fact that the Imperials had to concentrate most of their forces against the Ocearans and Mamarans, allowing the Unified Front to quickly gain ground inside the Empire. Even with the brilliant leadership of Jerick Pallas, now Chancellor of Orson, and other members of the Paramount Committee, the Federalist movement was nearly extinct in 2020, only saved by the start of the war. While the Treaty of Luanda was signed in 2032, ending hostilities between the Third Imperium and the Federalists, few people on both sides believe that the peace can last forever. The Imperial Military, while defeated during the 2020's, still possesses millions of battle-hardened soldiers, and the leadership of brilliant officers that had previously served in Imperial High Command under Turner's reign (a number of them are also warlords), while the Federal military remains a motley of militias and Imperial defectors. Their are fears throughout the Federation and in the Federal Senate of an Imperial resurgence, leading to Chancellor Pallas heavily pushing for this program.

To counter the excellent leadership of the Imperials, the Federalists have created their own general staff system, known as Federal High Command. High Command is a body of high-ranking officers that serve as the leadership of the Federal Military and the Ministry of Defense, responsible for directing the military in wartime and peacetime, the training and arming of lower ranking soldiers and NCO's, studying the art of war and developing new tactics and strategies, organizing the logistics and supply lines for all branches, and drawing up plans for a mobilization and war plans against foreign nations. High Command, much like the old Imperial system, appoints officers based on merit and intelligence, rather than loyalty to the Federalist cause, providing a way for former Imperials who had proven themselves on the battlefield to use their talents for the Federation. Furthermore, the Federal Army itself will be heavily reorganized, doing away with the old "cell" structure that was common in the early days of the Federalist movement and adopting the same command structure as the Empire, as well as adopting the Empire's mission-type tactics, freedom and flexibility to implement orders, and reliance on NCO's as the backbone of the military, while the Federal Navy and the Federal Air Force will be vastly expanded in order to equal the Imperials. Furthermore, just as the Third Imperium is doing, there will be a greater emphasis on laser and railgun weaponry in future conflicts, with both sides impressed by their performance in previous wars. The advanced research projects being conducted by Orson since the 2nd Civil War have born fruit, allowing such advanced technology to become commonplace throughout the Orsonian world.

In partnership with Daxx Weapons Corporation and Bacta Technologies, the Federal Military has adopted the new X3 Battle Laser into service, and has ordered the production of hundreds of thousands of them. The X3 combines the best of the older X1 Direct Energy Weapon and the X2 Pulse Laser Weapon (explained in greater detail in this post: page=rmb/postid=34862942). Like the X2, the X3 contains a dial that allows the soldier to adjust the power of each laser shot, and the weapon is heavily modular, allowing for a variety of attachments. However, the X3 also includes the full beam and semi-auto modes of the X1, and is more powerful in general than the X2, and it also allows more modern attachments (such as nanite canisters, EMP grenades, etc.) to be attached to the weapon. The best part about this weapon however is its efficient battery packs, vastly superior to previous designs and the culmination of decades of research. While production of the X1 and X2 will continue for at least several more decades, the Federal Military intends to adopt X3 as its main service weapon, replacing the venerable AV-70 Assault Rifle, which has been in service for nearly 70 years.

Anna Lesova:A Banshee writer whose works are immensely popular and influential in the Empire and its client states, Anna Lesova is a devout Mercerist, a believer in Imperial colonization and conquest, both of which are reflected in her work. Born in 1851 on the quaint and agrarian colony world of Urozhy, Anna Lesova was born as an illegitimate child of a local noble and was quickly sent to live in one of the planets many Mercerist covens. In the millions of years since The Rebellion, the planet has become isolated and agrarian, hardly in touch with the rest of the Empire except for the ships which traded with the backwater colony. Raised by a group of highly religious Banshees and Baneshiek in a rustic white washed temple and surrounding complex of huts and shrines, she remained with the coven until she was 21, finally moving on to live in a nearby town and undergo a formal education for the first time. Her instructors, used to educating young women who had been raised by the coven, were sympathetic and understanding, and soon discovered Anna had a talent for writing. She soon began writing articles for the local paper, but found herself wanting more. At the age of 25, she moved to the capital, Brehzny, and was both captivated and repulsed by the “big city”. This fueled her writing, causing her to quickly write her first independent publication, the “Guide For The Modern Traveler”, which mostly made common sense suggestions while imploring the reader to keep their faith in the Emperor strong. The book was an abysmal failure. Around this time, the Empire took a greater interest in the backwater world of Urozhy, deciding to bring it and other worlds up to Imperial standards by a steady “reclamation”. Unfettered by the failure of her first book and continuing her work at a newspaper, Lesova watched as Imperial culture and advanced technology became more widespread on her homeworld as the Empire “reclaimed” it. The more superstitious peasants of the rural countryside regarded the Imperial Army soldiers as holy servants of the Emperor as they set up anti-orbital installations and built fortresses, an image that Lesova would later use in her works. She began to write short stories, many of them centering around the new culture and fashions. She began wearing a Kefta, a comfortable black one she purchased and then embroidered with gold thread, creating Mercerist Deco decorations on the fabric, blending the classical Mercerism of her upbringing with the Art Deco of approaching civilization. Anna published a collection of short stories “Tales From Urozhy”, which proved popular and slowly filtered out on the increasingly large number of ships heading out to the greater Empire. The stories within showcased life on Urozhy, both before and during the cultural shift, obviously viewing it as a mixed blessing, many of her stories focusing on the rapid changes and the strangeness of the new world being created by the recolonization. This quickly changed when she began to explore the Empire, seeing how other worlds were transformed from primitive backwaters to advanced centers of technology and culture. Her works began to shift in time, starting to praise Imperial culture as a bringer of civility and advancement to backwards worlds. Her works depicted ignorant populations being uplifted by Mercerism and Cybusian technology, tales of heroism of “The Emperors Angels”, shining Imperial citadels being bravely defended from heretics and foreigners who are jealous of the glory of the Empire. She traveled to Arcadia for a pilgrimage and was amazed by the beautiful, shining capital of the Empire, writing an entire book of stories about her experiences on Arcadia, the book entitled “The Golden World”. Her writing become more prolific and she grew more popular, her books reflecting her views, and proving popular across the Empire by 1900. In the 2000s, when Oceara first rose to power, she seized on the threat and fear of communism and socialism, writing prolifically on the “The Red Menace”. When Oceara colonized its first planet, she wrote a book called “The Red Tide”, showcasing a future scenario in which the Ocearans launch an invasion of the Empire and commit horrific atrocities, destroying churches, killing intellectuals, and committing other atrocities perpetrated by various communist and socialist governments throughout history, until the invasion is valiantly repulsed by an uprising of the faithful in the occupied territory, coupled with resurgent Imperial forces. The book was a bestseller, and helped fuel the deep-seated suspicion and dislike of the Ocearan Empire, which was compounded by another book she wrote entitled the “Rise of The Red Empire”, a book set on a planet occupied by Oceara, from the point of view of the occupied. Her books and stories continue to be wildly popular, though Lesova lives a fairly simple existence, only rarely responding to the many invitations to Arcadian society functions and parties she receives. She is a familiar sight at The Chestnut Tree Cafe, where she sits in a corner booth and sips tea, wearing her kefta and Bone Charms, hiding her red hair under a robe. Anna is talented at healing and is a fairly good user of telekinesis, but otherwise she is rather unskilled in the use of magic. She has engaged in several public feuds with other artists, including Delilah Kaldwin, whom she calls a ‘hedonistic woman who paints only to distract herself from her moral failings’, and her ‘arch rival’ Edward Mordrake, the hedonistic heir to the Mordrake family, whose writings emphasize hedonism and indifference to international affairs. Her earlier works idealizing peasant life has spawned a small movement in the Empire, wherein members will settle worlds and live a simple life, the kind described in her works. These worlds are known as Rustica worlds.

Thoughts? Novo Wagondia suggested I make some literary characters whose works would influence Cybusian culture. Her rival, Mordrake, is in the next post.

The Banshiek son of the wealthy Mordrake family, an ancient and loyal family of Mercerists who were afforded the noble rank of Porokis, Edward Mordrake has proven himself very unlike his ancestors. He was born in 1821, on the lush and beautiful world of Viridian, named for it’s shimmering emerald waters and forests of pine trees. His family educated him with the best tutors rather than send him to a school, and he quickly proved himself an able student, when he would apply himself. He was particularly interested in history and English, proving himself an adept writer of short stories. He lived a life of luxury, before unexpectedly leaving the family Alcazar to become a reporter, seemingly on a whim. He was viewed with skepticism by the Arcadian newspapers, because he lacked any credentials or diplomas, but was hired by the Arcadian Herald, and quickly proved his worth by ferreting out a scandal in The Raven Court involving a court member who had attempted to seduce Dana Mercer, despite being married to a prominent socialite, and who had managed to hide his affair until Mordrake reported it. In quick succession, Alexander banished him from court life, and his wife divorced him. Mordrake quickly became the foremost reporter on Palace affairs, and it was here that he began his slide into a love of hedonistic activity. He was swept away by the lush and hedonistic life at court, yet was able to resist the slavish devotion to the Emperor as court members jockeyed for his favor in increasingly elaborate shows of devotion and worship, which Mordrake would happily cover in his articles. He worked with the Herald for fifteen years, before writing his first short story, a drama which adapted the story of his first scoop. He began to become more flighty, taking frequent vacations to the far corners of the Empire, and began to collect artifacts from across the Empire. One one of these vacations, he befriended Natalia Usher, who he vaguely knew from court. The two had both bid on an antique bell which was reported to ring only in times of great universal danger, and had last rung during the Rebellion. He won the bidding, and the bell sits in his vast collection (ringing during each war between the Empire and Oceara, as well as during any Redlight expansion) on Viridian. The two restless collectors quickly became good friends, Natalia providing him with topics for his reporting. He immersed himself in a hedonistic lifestyle, enjoying alcohol, drugs, and sex in excess, quickly entering and then leaving relationships, throwing elaborate parties that would make Gatsby blush, and using his magical abilities for parlor tricks. He wrote a semi-autobiographical book about a young mans descent into hedonism, showing it to be a positive thing rather than something negative, entitled “Jump Into The Fog”. His works became more political, as he argued that conquest was a costly waste, arguing that Imperial culture and the luxury and hedonism made possible by the lassiez-faire policies of the government would draw worlds into the Empire by themselves, and that the Empire should largely ignore other nations affairs. Famous as a playboy who throws great parties, Edward is still employed by the Herald, writing under a pen name to avoid any blowback from his reputation. He tours the Empire and beyond, collecting odd and historical artifacts, including a French Revolution era guillotine blade which he has housed in a new frame. He hosts incredibly elaborate parties in his beautiful alcazar on Viridian, and his mansions on Arcadia and other Imperial worlds, and attends other parties and events all the time. Despite the deep religious belief of his parents and ancestors, Edward is not particularly religious, only sporadically attending worship services. Edward is a talented pyrokinetic and hydrokinetic, often using his powers for party entertainment. He has dated numerous Cybusian celebrities, including Delilah Kaldwin and Vera Keyes, and has a deep-seated dislike of Anna Lesova, the Banshee whose writing supports conquest and expansion of Mercerism. The two famous authors constantly feud, in their work and in public, and on the rare occasions they meet in person, their arguments quickly become the center of attention, Edwards sharp and witty tongue ripping into Anna, who retaliates with curses and portents of doom.

Cybus1Year: 2132The Ocearan Emperor has ordered for massive military strikes against the Black Dawn, involving huge proportions of the navy and Oceara's intelligence and cyber warfare assets in operations to reveal cells, cripple their communication and coordination, and eradicate them on a grand scale.

The Empire has largely eliminated Black Dawn, apart from far flung outposts. We will be watching these operations with great interest, intrigued.